Vice President & Associate General Counsel, Capital Markets Policy

The Vice President & Associate General Counsel, Capital Markets directs, manages, and supervises a team of attorneys that develops and implements capital markets policy initiatives, and counsels the Department of Market Regulation and Transparency Services.
The incumbent provides expert knowledge to the Board of Governors and senior management, advising them on high-impact, legally and politically complex and sensitive regulatory initiatives and rule changes.
The incumbent reports to the SVP, Capital Markets Policy, and manages preparation of board and committee materials, regulatory notices, rule filings, participation in multiple NMS Plans, SEC outreach, and economic impact assessments of rulemakings.
The incumbent is responsible for managing the consistency and integrity of FINRA's legal policy positions across the organization in complex regulatory areas that are central to FINRA's mission and that arise regularly in FINRA's relationships with a wide range of external stakeholders, including member firms, federal policymakers, investor advocates, and the press.
This position is recognized by FINRA and the industry as a leading expert in particularly complex and unique subject matter areas pertaining to regulatory policy, rendering expert advice in these areas and managing the challenging operational, legal, reputational, and other risks that can arise in these areas for FINRA and its member firms.
Such areas may include the CAT Plan, SIP Plans, Regulation NMS requirements, FINRA trade reporting rules for listed equities, market volatility initiatives, best execution and customer order protection, and options regulation, fixed-income regulation (TRACE, mark-up policy, confirmation disclosure, among others), over-the-counter equity trade reporting, SEC Rule 15c2-11, short sale regulation, and FINRA trading-related fees, among other areas.


Essential Job Functions: Directly supervise, train and mentor Capital Markets Policy attorneys.
Supervise or assist in supervising and directing regulatory analysts, paralegals and administrative staff in OGC.
Lead and coordinate the efforts of other OGC legal staff in the completion of work projects.
Manage a team that serves as the key source of legal expertise within FINRA in designated subject areas and provide independent expert advice on questions and issues as they arise.
These areas relate to trading practices, market integrity and market structure, including best execution and order handling requirements; options and listed equities, including audit trail and transparency initiatives; SEC mandates including Regulation NMS, Consolidated Audit Trail, Market Data Infrastructure, and SEC Rule 15c3- 5; SEC Rule 17d-2 and RSAs; the Alternative Display Facility and Trade Reporting Facilities; OTC quoting and trade reporting (including digital assets); corporate actions and operations issues; fees, including TAF and Section 31/Section 3; TRACE reporting and other fixed income audit trail and transparency initiatives (including Treasury securities); Regulation SHO and short interest; and other subject areas and special projects as assigned.
Advise the Board of Governors and FINRA advisory committees with respect to high-impact, legally and politically complex and sensitive regulatory initiatives and rule changes under consideration by the Board.
Draft, manage, and review the drafting of legal policy statements and new rule proposals; gather and incorporate views of industry participants, other regulators, and senior staff; prepare rule filings to the SEC; and liaise with SEC staff to obtain approvals.
Oversee the team's relationship with the Regulatory Economics and Market Analysis office to develop economic impact assessments of rulemakings and conduct the retrospective review of rules on behalf of OGC as assigned.
Prepare and oversee the preparation of Regulatory Notices, rule guidance, and correspondence with member firms and their outside counsel.
Conduct and supervise legal analysis and necessary research to (1) develop legal policy statements and rule proposals and to respond to internal and external comments, and (2) respond to interpretive and exemptive requests.
Brief and communicate complex and sensitive regulatory initiatives to the SVP, Capital Markets Policy and other senior executives of FINRA.
Must be able to provide such analysis under urgent deadlines.
Prepare and oversee the preparation of legal policy statements and Board materials that contain sophisticated analyses and discussions of competing policy or political considerations necessary for the informed judgment of the issues by senior management and the Board as appropriate.
Take a leadership role in identifying and presenting original, creative, innovative, and sophisticated solutions and proposals for changes to existing rules, including rules and guidance needed to address the constantly evolving nature of trading within the securities markets.
Provide expert-level legal counsel and assistance to projects and initiatives of other departments, supporting them in achieving their goals.
Be the recognized expert and attend and be a sought-out speaker at regulatory policy public conferences, regulatory/inter-market groups, and meetings of FINRA committees on areas of subject matter expertise.
Analyze SEC, industry and other self-regulatory organization initiatives, and develop and maintain strong and cooperative working relationships with other regulators.
Manage public communication of FINRA proposals and legal interpretations to member firms, members of the bar, the media, and other interested parties.
Other Responsibilities: Demonstrated ability to perform with minimal supervision, with high autonomy under ambiguous circumstances.
Lead or participate in ad hoc special projects and initiatives as requested.
Manage, train and mentor OGC attorneys and assist in supervising and directing regulatory analysts, paralegals and administrative assistants in OGC.
Support enforcement of office procedures concerning regulatory proposals and legal interpretive positions; provide and implement suggestions to increase efficiency and effectiveness of procedures.
Education/Experience Requirements: Law degree from an accredited law school, admission to a bar, and 10+ years of relevant legal experience.
Expertise in specialized areas of knowledge that are both technically complex and central to the overall mission of the organization; and expert knowledge of rules, regulations and guidelines governing the securities industry.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Excellent interpersonal skills.
Working Conditions: Public speaking and appearing at regulatory conferences are required.
Occasional travel and extended hours may be required.
Normal office conditions.


For work that is performed in CA, CO, HI, MN, VT, IL, Jersey City, NJ, NY, NY, MD, Washington DC, and WA the chart below outlines the proposed salary range for the corresponding location.
In addition to location, actual compensation is based on various factors, including but not limited to, the candidate's skill set, level of experience, education, and internal peer compensation comparisons

CA: Minimum Salary $175,600, Maximum Salary $345,700

CO/HI/MN/VT*: Minimum Salary $175,600, Maximum Salary $345,700

IL*: Minimum Salary $175,600, Maximum Salary $345,700

Jersey City, NJ/NY, NY: Minimum Salary $175,600, Maximum Salary $345,700

MD/Washington, DC: Minimum Salary $175,600, Maximum Salary $345,700

WA: Minimum Salary $175,600, Maximum Salary $345,700

*Including positions performed outside the state but reporting to an office or manager in that state.


Candidates can expect salary offers that range from the minimum to the mid-point of the salary range.
FINRA provides full pay ranges so that the candidate can consider their growth potential while at FINRA.


#LI-Hybrid

To be considered for this position, please submit an application.
Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

The information provided above has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work of the position.
It is not a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required.


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Employees may be eligible for a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay.
FINRA provides comprehensive health, dental and vision insurance.
Additional insurance includes basic life, accidental death and dismemberment, supplemental life, spouse/domestic partner and dependent life, and spouse/domestic partner and dependent accidental death and dismemberment, short- and long-term disability, long-term care, business travel accident, disability and legal.
FINRA offers immediate participation and vesting in a 401(k) plan with company match and eligibility for participation in an additional FINRA-funded retirement contribution, tuition reimbursement and many other benefits.


Time Off and Paid Leave*

FINRA encourages its employees to focus on their health and wellness in many ways, including through a generous time-off program of 15 days of paid time off, 5 personal days and 9 sick days (all pro-rated in the first year).
Additionally, we are proud to support our communities by providing two volunteer service days (based on full-time schedule).
Other paid leave includes military leave, jury duty leave, bereavement leave, voting and election official leave for federal, state or local primary and general elections, care of a family member leave (available after 90 days of employment); and childbirth and parental leave (available after 90 days of employment).
Full-time employees receive nine paid holidays.


*Based on full-time schedule

Important Information

FINRA's Code of Conduct imposes restrictions on employees' investments and requires financial disclosures that are uniquely related to our role as a securities regulator.
FINRA employees are required to disclose to FINRA all brokerage accounts that they maintain, and those in which they control trading or have a financial interest (including any trust account of which they are a trustee or beneficiary and all accounts of a spouse, domestic partner or minor child who lives with the employee) and to authorize their broker-dealers to provide FINRA with duplicate statements for all of those accounts.
All of those accounts are subject to the Code's investment and securities account restrictions, and new employees must comply with those investment restrictions-including disposing of any security issued by a company on FINRA's Prohibited Company List or obtaining a written waiver from their Executive Vice President-by the date they begin employment with FINRA.
Employees may only maintain securities accounts that must be disclosed to FINRA at one or more securities firms that provide an electronic feed (e-feed) of data to FINRA, and must move securities accounts from other securities firms to a firm that provides an e-feed within three months of beginning employment.


You can read more about these restrictions here.


As standard practice, employees must also execute FINRA's Employee Confidentiality and Invention Assignment Agreement without qualification or modification and comply with the company's policy on nepotism.


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All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, citizenship status, color, disability, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status or any other classification protected by federal state or local laws as appropriate, or upon the protected status of the person's relatives, friends or associates.


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